<html>
<title>MIPS syscall functions available in MARS
</title>
<body>
<center>
<h3>SYSCALL functions available in MARS</h3>
</center>

<h3>Introduction</h3>
A number of system services, mainly for input and output, are available for use by 
your MIPS program.  They are described in the table below.
<p>
<h3>How to use SYSCALL system services</h3>
Step 1. Load the service number in register $v0.<br>
Step 2. Load argument values, if any, in $a0, $a1, $a2, or $f12 as specified.<br>
Step 3. Issue the SYSCALL instruction.<br>
Step 4. Retrieve return values, if any, from result registers as specified.<br>
</p>
<strong>Example: display the value stored in $t0 on the console</strong><br>
<pre>
    li  $v0, 1           # service 1 is print integer
    add $a0, $t0, $zero  # load desired value into argument register $a0, using pseudo-op
    syscall
</pre>
<h3>Table of Available Services</h3>

<table border=1>
  <tr>  <th>Service</th>  <th>Code in $v0</th>  <th>Arguments</th>  <th>Result</th>  </tr>
  <tr><td>print integer</td>                 <td align="center">1</td>   <td>$a0 = integer to print</td>  <td>&nbsp;</td></tr>
  <tr><td>print float</td>                   <td align="center">2</td>   <td>$f12 = float to print</td>   <td>&nbsp;</td></tr>
  <tr><td>print double</td>                  <td align="center">3</td>   <td>$f12 = double to print</td>  <td>&nbsp;</td></tr>
  <tr><td>print string</td>                  <td align="center">4</td>   <td>$a0 = address of null-terminated string to print</td>  <td>&nbsp;</td></tr>
  <tr><td>read integer</td>                  <td align="center">5</td>   <td>&nbsp;</td>  <td>$v0 contains integer read</td></tr>
  <tr><td>read float</td>                    <td align="center">6</td>   <td>&nbsp;</td>  <td>$f0 contains float read</td></tr>
  <tr><td>read double</td>                   <td align="center">7</td>   <td>&nbsp;</td>  <td>$f0 contains double read</td></tr>
  <tr><td>read string</td>                   <td align="center">8</td>   <td>$a0 = address of input buffer<br>$a1 = maximum number of characters to read</td>  <td><i>See note below table</i></td></tr>
  <tr><td>sbrk (allocate heap memory)</td>   <td align="center">9</td>   <td>$a0 = number of bytes to allocate</td>  <td>$v0 contains address of allocated memory</td></tr>
  <tr><td>exit (terminate execution)</td>   <td align="center">10</td>   <td>&nbsp;</td>  <td>&nbsp;</td></tr>
  <tr><td>print character</td>              <td align="center">11</td>   <td>$a0 = character to print</td>  <td><i>See note below table</i></td></tr>
  <tr><td>read character</td>               <td align="center">12</td>   <td>&nbsp;</td>  <td>$v0 contains character read</td></tr>
  <tr><td>open file</td>                    <td align="center">13</td>   <td>$a0 = address of null-terminated string containing filename<br>$a1 = flags<br>$a2 = mode</td>  <td>$v0 contains file descriptor (negative if error).  <i>See note below table</i></td></tr>
  <tr><td>read from file</td>               <td align="center">14</td>   <td>$a0 = file descriptor<br>$a1 = address of input buffer<br>$a2 = maximum number of characters to read</td>  <td>$v0 contains number of characters read (0 if end-of-file, negative if error).  <i>See note below table</i></td></tr>
  <tr><td>write to file</td>                <td align="center">15</td>   <td>$a0 = file descriptor<br>$a1 = address of output buffer<br>$a2 = number of characters to write</td>  <td>$v0 contains number of characters written (negative if error).  <i>See note below table</i></td></tr>
  <tr><td>close file</td>                   <td align="center">16</td>   <td>$a0 = file descriptor</td>  <td>&nbsp;</td></tr>
  <tr><td>exit2 (terminate with value)</td> <td align="center">17</td>   <td>$a0 = termination result</td>  <td><i>See note below table</i></td></tr>
  <tr><td align="center" colspan=4><em>Services 1 through 17 are compatible with the SPIM simulator, other than Open File (13) as described in the Notes below the table.
  Services 30 and higher are exclusive to MARS.</em></td></tr>
  <tr><td>time (system time)</td>           <td align="center">30</td>   <td>&nbsp;</td><td>$a0 = low order 32 bits of system time<br>$a1 = high order 32 bits of system time.  <i>See note below table</i></td></tr>
  <tr><td>MIDI out</td>                     <td align="center">31</td>   <td>$a0 = pitch (0-127)<br>$a1 = duration in milliseconds<br>$a2 = instrument (0-127)<br>$a3 = volume (0-127)</td>  <td>Generate tone and return immediately.  <i>See note below table</i></td></tr>
  <tr><td>sleep</td>                        <td align="center">32</td>   <td>$a0 = the length of time to sleep in milliseconds.</td>  <td>Causes the MARS Java thread to sleep for (at least) the specified number of milliseconds. This timing will not be precise, as the Java implementation will add some overhead.</td></tr>
  <tr><td>MIDI out synchronous              <td align="center">33</td>   <td>$a0 = pitch (0-127)<br>$a1 = duration in milliseconds<br>$a2 = instrument (0-127)<br>$a3 = volume (0-127)</td>  <td>Generate tone and return upon tone completion.  <i>See note below table</i></td></tr>
  <tr><td>print integer in hexadecimal</td> <td align="center">34</td>   <td>$a0 = integer to print</td>  <td>&nbsp;</td></tr>
  <tr><td>print integer in binary</td>      <td align="center">35</td>   <td>$a0 = integer to print</td>  <td>&nbsp;</td></tr>
  <tr><td>print integer as unsigned</td>    <td align="center">36</td>   <td>$a0 = integer to print</td>  <td>&nbsp;</td></tr>
  <tr><td align="center">(not used)</td>    <td align="center">37-39</td><td>&nbsp;</td>  <td>&nbsp;</td></tr>
  <tr><td>set seed</td>                     <td align="center">40</td>   <td>$a0 = i.d. of pseudorandom number generator (any int).<br>$a1 = seed for corresponding pseudorandom number generator.</td>  <td>No values are returned. Sets the seed of the corresponding underlying Java pseudorandom number generator (<tt>java.util.Random</tt>). <i>See note below table</i></td></tr>
  <tr><td>random int</td>                   <td align="center">41</td>   <td>$a0 = i.d. of pseudorandom number generator (any int).</td>  <td>$a0 contains the next pseudorandom, uniformly distributed int value from this random number generator's sequence. <i>See note below table</i></td></tr>
  <tr><td>random int range</td>             <td align="center">42</td>   <td>$a0 = i.d. of pseudorandom number generator (any int).<br>$a1 = upper bound of range of returned values.</td>  <td>$a0 contains pseudorandom, uniformly distributed int value in the range 0 <= [int] < [upper bound], drawn from this random number generator's sequence.  <i>See note below table</i></td></tr>
  <tr><td>random float</td>                 <td align="center">43</td>   <td>$a0 = i.d. of pseudorandom number generator (any int).</td>  <td>$f0 contains the next pseudorandom, uniformly distributed float value in the range 0.0 <= f < 1.0 from this random number generator's sequence.  <i>See note below table</i></td></tr>
  <tr><td>random double</td>                <td align="center">44</td>   <td>$a0 = i.d. of pseudorandom number generator (any int).</td>  <td>$f0 contains the next pseudorandom, uniformly distributed double value in the range 0.0 <= f < 1.0 from this random number generator's sequence.  <i>See note below table</i></td></tr>
  <tr><td align="center">(not used)</td>    <td align="center">45-49</td><td>&nbsp;</td>  <td>&nbsp;</td></tr>
  <tr><td>ConfirmDialog</td>                <td align="center">50</td>   <td>$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is the message to user</td>  <td>$a0 contains value of user-chosen option<br>0: Yes<br>1: No<br>2: Cancel</td></tr>
  <tr><td>InputDialogInt</td>               <td align="center">51</td>   <td>$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is the message to user</td>  <td>$a0 contains int read<br>$a1 contains status value<br>0: OK status<br>-1: input data cannot be correctly parsed<br>-2: Cancel was chosen<br>-3: OK was chosen but no data had been input into field</td></tr>
  <tr><td>InputDialogFloat</td>             <td align="center">52</td>   <td>$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is the message to user</td>  <td>$f0 contains float read<br>$a1 contains status value<br>0: OK status<br>-1: input data cannot be correctly parsed<br>-2: Cancel was chosen<br>-3: OK was chosen but no data had been input into field</td></tr>
  <tr><td>InputDialogDouble</td>            <td align="center">53</td>   <td>$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is the message to user</td>  <td>$f0 contains double read<br>$a1 contains status value<br>0: OK status<br>-1: input data cannot be correctly parsed<br>-2: Cancel was chosen<br>-3: OK was chosen but no data had been input into field</td></tr>
  <tr><td>InputDialogString</td>            <td align="center">54</td>   <td>$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is the message to user<br>$a1 = address of input buffer<br>$a2 = maximum number of characters to read</td>  <td><i>See Service 8 note below table</i><br>$a1 contains status value<br>0: OK status. Buffer contains the input string.<br>-2: Cancel was chosen. No change to buffer. <br>-3: OK was chosen but no data had been input into field. No change to buffer.<br>-4: length of the input string exceeded the specified maximum. Buffer contains the maximum allowable input string plus a terminating null.</td></tr>
  <tr><td>MessageDialog</td>                <td align="center">55</td>   <td>$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is the message to user<br>$a1 = the type of message to be displayed:<br> 
0: error message, indicated by Error icon <!-- <img src="SyscallMessageDialogError.gif"> --> <br>
1: information message, indicated by Information icon <!-- <img src="SyscallMessageDialogInformation.gif"> --> <br>
2: warning message, indicated by Warning icon <!-- <img src="SyscallMessageDialogWarning.gif"> --> <br>
3: question message, indicated by Question icon <!-- <img src="SyscallMessageDialogQuestion.gif"> --> <br>
other: plain message (no icon displayed)
</td>  <td>N/A</td></tr>
  <tr><td>MessageDialogInt</td>             <td align="center">56</td>   <td>$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is an information-type message to user<br>$a1 = int value to display in string form after the first string</td>  <td>N/A</td></tr>
  <tr><td>MessageDialogFloat</td>           <td align="center">57</td>   <td>$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is an information-type message to user<br>$f12 = float value to display in string form after the first string</td>  <td>N/A</td></tr>
  <tr><td>MessageDialogDouble</td>          <td align="center">58</td>   <td>$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is an information-type message to user<br>$f12 = double value to display in string form after the first string</td>  <td>N/A</td></tr>
  <tr><td>MessageDialogString</td>          <td align="center">59</td>   <td>$a0 = address of null-terminated string that is an information-type message to user<br>$a1 = address of null-terminated string to display after the first string</td>  <td>N/A</td></tr>
</table>
<br>
<b>NOTES: Services numbered 30 and higher are not provided by SPIM</b>
<br><b>Service 8</b> - Follows semantics of UNIX 'fgets'.  For specified length n, string can be no longer than n-1. If less than that, adds newline to end.  In either case, then pads with null byte.
<br><b>Service 11</b> - Prints ASCII character corresponding to contents of low-order byte.
<br><b>Service 13</b> - MARS implements three flag values: 0 for read-only, 1 for write-only with create, and 9 for write-only with create and append.  It ignores mode.  The returned file descriptor will be negative if the operation failed.  The underlying file I/O
implementation uses <tt>java.io.FileInputStream.read()</tt> to read and <tt>java.io.FileOutputStream.write()</tt> to write.  MARS maintains file descriptors internally and allocates them starting with 0.
<br><b>Services 13,14,15</b> - In MARS 3.7, the result register was changed to $v0 for SPIM compatability.  It was previously $a0 as erroneously printed
in Appendix B of <i>Computer Organization and Design,</i>.
<br><b>Service 17</b> - If the MIPS program is run under control of the MARS graphical interface (GUI), the exit code in $a0 is ignored.
<br><b>Service 30</b> - System time comes from <tt>java.util.Date.getTime()</tt> as milliseconds since 1 January 1970.
<br><b>Services 31,33</b> - Simulate MIDI output through sound card.  Details below.
<br><b>Services 40-44</b> use underlying Java pseudorandom number generators provided by the <tt>java.util.Random</tt> class.  Each stream (identified
by $a0 contents) is modeled by a different <tt>Random</tt> object.  There are no default seed values, so use the Set Seed service (40) if 
replicated random sequences are desired.



<p></p>
<hr>
<h3>Example of File I/O</h3>
The sample MIPS program below will open a new file for writing, write text to it from a memory buffer, then close it.  The file will be created in the
directory in which MARS was run.
<p>
<pre>
# Sample MIPS program that writes to a new file.
#   by Kenneth Vollmar and Pete Sanderson

        .data
fout:   .asciiz "testout.txt"      # filename for output
buffer: .asciiz "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."
        .text
  ###############################################################
  # Open (for writing) a file that does not exist
  li   $v0, 13       # system call for open file
  la   $a0, fout     # output file name
  li   $a1, 1        # Open for writing (flags are 0: read, 1: write)
  li   $a2, 0        # mode is ignored
  syscall            # open a file (file descriptor returned in $v0)
  move $s6, $v0      # save the file descriptor 
  ###############################################################
  # Write to file just opened
  li   $v0, 15       # system call for write to file
  move $a0, $s6      # file descriptor 
  la   $a1, buffer   # address of buffer from which to write
  li   $a2, 44       # hardcoded buffer length
  syscall            # write to file
  ###############################################################
  # Close the file 
  li   $v0, 16       # system call for close file
  move $a0, $s6      # file descriptor to close
  syscall            # close file
  ###############################################################
</pre>
<p></p>
<hr>

<h3>Using SYSCALL system services 31 and 33: MIDI output</h3>
These system services are unique to MARS, and provide a means of producing sound.  MIDI output is
simulated by your system sound card, and the simulation is provided by the <tt>javax.sound.midi</tt>
package.  
<p>Service 31 will generate the tone then immediately return.  Service 33 will generate the tone then
sleep for the tone's duration before returning.  Thus it essentially combines services 31 and 32.
<p>
This service requires four parameters as follows:

<table width="600" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="2">
  <tr>
    <td><h3>pitch ($a0)</h3>
        
      <li>Accepts a positive byte value (0-127) that denotes a pitch as it would 
        be represented in MIDI </li>
        
      <li>Each number is one semitone / half-step in the chromatic scale.</li>
        
      <li>0 represents a very low C and 127 represents a very high G (a standard 
        88 key piano begins at 9-A and ends at 108-C).</li>
      <li>If the parameter value is outside this range, it applies a default value 60 which is the same as middle C on a piano.</li>
        
      <li>From middle C, all other pitches in the octave are as follows:</li>
      
        
      <table width="450" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="2">
        <tr>
            <td>
        	 <li>61 = C# or Db</li>
        	 <li>62 = D</li>
        	 <li>63 = D# or Eb</li>
        	 <li>64 = E or Fb</li>
			</td>
            <td>
        	 <li>65 = E# or F</li>
        	 <li>66 = F# or Gb</li>
        	 <li>67 = G</li>
        	 <li>68 = G# or Ab</li>
			</td>
            <td>
			 <li>69 = A</li>
        	 <li>70 = A# or Bb</li>
        	 <li>71 = B or Cb</li>
        	 <li>72 = B# or C</li>
			</td>
          </tr>
        </table>
        
        
      <li>To produce these pitches in other octaves, add or subtract multiples 
        of 12.</li>
      <br>
      </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><h3>duration in milliseconds ($a1)</h3>
      <li>Accepts a positive integer value that is the length of the tone in milliseconds.</li>
      <li>If the parameter value is negative, it applies a default value of one second (1000 milliseconds).</li>
      <br>
    </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><h3>instrument ($a2)</h3>
	  <li>Accepts a positive byte value (0-127) that denotes the General MIDI 
        &quot;patch&quot; used to play the tone.</li>
      <li>If the parameter is outside this range, it applies a default value 0 which is an <em>Acoustic Grand Piano</em>.</li>
      <li>General MIDI standardizes the number associated with each possible instrument 
        (often referred to as <em>program change</em> numbers), however it does 
        not determine how the tone will sound. This is determined by the synthesizer 
        that is producing the sound. Thus a<em> Tuba</em> (patch 58) on one computer 
        may sound different than that same patch on another computer.</li>
      <li>The 128 available patches are divided into instrument families of 8:</li>
	  <table width="450" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="2">
        <tr> 
          <td width="60">0-7</td>
          <td width="160">Piano</td>
          <td width="60">64-71</td>
          <td>Reed</td>
        </tr>
        <tr> 
          <td width="60">8-15</td>
          <td width="160">Chromatic Percussion</td>
          <td width="60">72-79</td>
          <td>Pipe</td>
        </tr>
        <tr> 
          <td width="60">16-23</td>
          <td width="160">Organ</td>
          <td width="60">80-87</td>
          <td>Synth Lead</td>
        </tr>
        <tr> 
          <td width="60">24-31</td>
          <td width="160">Guitar</td>
          <td width="60">88-95</td>
          <td>Synth Pad</td>
        </tr>
        <tr> 
          <td width="60">32-39</td>
          <td width="160">Bass</td>
          <td width="60">96-103</td>
          <td>Synth Effects</td>
        </tr>
        <tr> 
          <td width="60">40-47</td>
          <td width="160">Strings</td>
          <td width="60">104-111</td>
          <td>Ethnic</td>
        </tr>
        <tr> 
          <td width="60">48-55</td>
          <td width="160">Ensemble</td>
          <td width="60">112-119</td>
          <td>Percussion</td>
        </tr>
        <tr> 
          <td width="60">56-63</td>
          <td width="160">Brass</td>
          <td width="60">120-127</td>
          <td>Sound Effects</td>
        </tr>
      </table>
      <li>Note that outside of Java, General MIDI usually refers to patches 1-128. 
        When referring to a list of General MIDI patches, 1 must be subtracted 
        to play the correct patch. For a full list of General MIDI instruments, 
        see <a href="http://www.midi.org/">
        www.midi.org/about-midi/gm/gm1sound.shtml</a>. 
        The General MIDI channel 10 percussion key map is not relevant to the 
        toneGenerator method because it always defaults to MIDI channel 1.</li>
		<br>
      </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><h3>volume ($a3)</h3>
      <li>Accepts a positive byte value (0-127) where 127 is the loudest and 0 
        is silent. This value denotes MIDI velocity which refers to the initial 
        attack of the tone.</li>
      <li>If the parameter value is outside this range, it applies a default value 100.</li>
      <li>MIDI velocity measures how hard a <em>note on</em> (or <em>note off</em>) 
        message is played, perhaps on a MIDI controller like a keyboard. Most 
        MIDI synthesizers will translate this into volume on a logarithmic scale 
        in which the difference in amplitude decreases as the velocity value increases.</li>
      <li>Note that velocity value on more sophisticated synthesizers can also 
        affect the timbre of the tone (as most instruments sound different when 
        they are played louder or softer).</li>
      </td>
  </tr>
</table>
System service 31 was developed and documented by Otterbein student Tony Brock in July 2007.





</body>
</html>